When your customers are browsing your merchandise, they are relying on you to tell them a story. Whether in a store or online, you have seconds to communicate what they need to know: How much is it? Is it on sale? Why should they buy it?
Present products without distraction while subtly cross-merchandising compatible items. Provide concise, readable signage. Make sure item prices are accurate and available. Create examples that inspire the customer to picture themselves using the product.
Your specific application of this principle depends on how many items you sell, the selling price of an item, your industry, and many other factors. The more value the item has to your customer, the more time you should spend refining its story.
Every item you carry has a story. Your role as merchant is to enable your customers to discover and connect emotionally with the products you have curated on their behalf. You will constantly wrestle with the demands of juggling all of the stories you should be telling. If you find yourself unable to properly tell an item’s story, should you be carrying it in the first place?